Press Release
(Shoreline, Wash., May 23, 2023) Shoreline Community College (Shoreline)
This summer Major League Baseball’s Midsummer Classic All-Star Game returns to the Emerald City. This is the third time in franchise history that the Mariners will be hosting. Yesterday Major League Baseball, the Seattle Mariners, and the Mariners Care Foundation announced this year’s recipients of the All-Star Legacy Initiative. Aimed at having a long-term impact on the Greater Seattle community, this initiative seeks to address equity gaps in order to expand access to youth baseball and softball, as well as support the needs of underserved community college students to help them complete their college program.
Shoreline Community College (SCC) was chosen as a recipient to receive funding through the All-Star Legacy partnership providing aid to local community college students through United Way of King County’s “Bridge to Finish” program. This program offers aid to thousands of students through the Benefits Hub/Food Pantry, providing them with emergency aid funding, meals, transportation and/or housing assistance, all in service of removing barriers to continuing education and degree attainment.
“The environment is becoming more and more challenging for our students in terms of their cost of living and access to needed resources to be successful as a college student. This area in particular being so close to the city shares some of the same kind of challenges that people see in traditional city environments,” said Dr. Jack Kahn, President of SCC.
Shoreline Community College was one of the first sites to pilot United Way of King County’s “Bridge to Finish” Benefits Hub/Food Pantry model when it was launched in the 2017/18 school year. The program has now grown to include ten community colleges in total. Last year SCC served 453 students through this program and provided 4, 162 interventions both through coaching and tangible goods. According to program statistics 76% of aid recipients in the “Bridge to Finish” program identify as students of color and 42% are parents. President Kahn said, “In terms of our dedication to our DEAI work we need to recognize the needs of our diverse communities and bring as many resources as possible and access points for our students. We are so grateful for this project in moving us in that direction!”
The Legacy investment will provide funding for a Benefits Hub refurbishment at Shoreline Community College. This will include new appliances in the food pantry as well as a complete restock of healthy food options, a new garment store layout for clothing, a dorm essentials station with bedding, a living essentials station providing items like utensils, dishes, and handheld kitchen tools, as well as a personal essentials area complete with basic toiletries for students. “The Shoreline’s Benefits Hub is honored to be chosen as the MLB/Mariners Legacy Project. In addition, to our existing food pantry we are excited for students to engage in a shopping experience to access the new hygiene pantry in the redesigned space. Staff are looking forward to a more functional space to better support students.” says Savena Garrett, Director of Student Services at SCC.
“We are looking forward to making important contribution to the Seattle community together with the Mariners.” said April Brown, Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility, Major League baseball.
“As a significant part of MLB All-Star Week, this initiative will celebrate these impactful projects and our local partners on one of Baseball’s grandest stages.”
For more information, please visit www.MLBTogether.com